


An Incorrect Presumption

by DramaticGarbage



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Arguing, Bullying Mention, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Implied Bullying, Personal Growth, Yelling, brother analogince, familial analogince, platonic analogince
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-11-03 21:15:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20688395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticGarbage/pseuds/DramaticGarbage
Summary: Logan never thought much of his younger brother… Well, nothing positive at least. But maybe… He’s just never taken the time to give him a chance.--This all stemmed from an idea I had that Virgil isn’t really left brain or right brain, but he’s somewhere inbetween. So I like the idea that he is the bridge that helps the two sides connect a bit better… it evolved into three of them being brothers and then… I don’t know. Logan is just being a big jerk and kind of stole the whole show. I love him.. but damn boy, work on that.





	An Incorrect Presumption

“Logan? Would you come over here please?” The teacher called out, hanging up the classroom phone as she did so. 

Logan was surprised, but he immediately stood and moved to the desk as requested. “Yes, Mrs. Evans?” 

“…They are requesting you report down to the front office, it seems that.. Your younger brother got into a bit of an altercation with another student, but your parents are unable to come get him. So they signed you out for the day so you can take him home.” The teacher explained very quietly, her expression barely hiding a bit of a wince. 

Logan’s eyes widened, he certainly hadn’t been expecting that. “…I see. I will.. Be off then. Thank you, Mrs. Evans.” The student turned back to his desk, collecting his things into his backpack and making his way out of the room. There were a few whispers as he left, but Logan was an A student, so it wasn’t as though anyone truly believed he was in trouble.

As he closed the classroom door behind him, he let out a long sigh, bringing up his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. Once he composed himself slightly, he set off toward the office. 

Logan had two younger brothers, both of which also were in high school with him, but there was no doubt in his mind which was the one causing trouble. Virgil was a year behind him, both in grade and in age, and was a quiet kid. He didn’t stick his nose in anything. But their youngest brother… Roman had been a thorn in Logan’s side for as long as he could remember. And he could remember things better than most. 

He distinctly recalled a young Roman constantly bursting into his room when they were young children, disrupting Logan’s science experiments or reading time with his grabbing hands and loud voice. The eldest would always get annoyed, doing his best to cast the small nuisance out of his room, but it generally took one of their parents coming in and collecting him to actually change anything. 

Logan received the same explanation each and every time, “Logan, he just wants to spend time with you. You’re his big brother and he loves you. He doesn’t mean to mess up your things, he’s just little.” But Logan just never understood the loud, destructive little… Thing. 

And over the years it hadn’t really improved. Roman, even as he became much less little, remained loud and boisterous. His hobbies were grating, disruptive, and not at all productive. How the two of them were related at all, let alone so closely, was beyond him. 

Logan pushed the door to the office open, walking in and noticing his youngest brother, sitting with his arms crossed in a chair against the wall. He paid him no mind, simply stepping up to the desk. 

“Ah, there you are Logan. You two are free to go, we already spoke with your parents.” The administrator explained, Roman silently standing and slinging his bag onto one shoulder. 

“Thank you. What about my other brother?” Logan asked, still not acknowledging the brother who was present. 

“He is to stay, your parents said he can ride the bus home.” 

“I see. We’ll be off then.” He nodded, turning for the door and heading out into the parking lot. 

They didn’t say a word to one another until they both slid into the seats of Logan’s car. As the door’s shut, the elder finally let out an annoyed sigh, turning on the car and starting to pull out of the parking spot. “A fight, Roman? Seriously?” 

Roman just rolled his eyes, turning to the window. “Save it, Logan. I don’t need the third degree from you of all people.” 

“Just… What were you thinking? Were you even thinking? At all?” Logan continued.

“What do you care? It’s not like you’ve ever given a shit about what I’ve done before. Oh, because you had to leave your precious class?” He groaned, still not looking at him. 

Logan made an irritated little noise, focusing on the road. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Oh, like you don’t know. Why don’t you just shut it and let mom and dad lecture me, I don’t need it from you.” 

“I have no doubt that they will, but… Seriously, Roman, why don’t you just do the intelligent thing for once in your life? Why do you have to escalate absolutely everything?” His tone was teetering on the edge of exasperation and annoyance.

“I’m not you! You just want me to do what you would’ve done and be more like you! And if I had done that today then… It doesn’t matter. Just leave me alone.” Roman turned back to the window, having looked back toward him over his shoulder as his tone raised. 

“Why don’t you let anyone help you?! You just always have to be so headstrong!” Logan parked his car infront of the house, glad that they didn’t live too far from the school and that this ride didn’t have to go on any longer.

“Because you don’t actually want to help me! You just want me to be more like you! You want me to be quiet and ‘smart’ and.. Not me!” Roman finally turned to face him, obviously angry. 

Logan scoffed. “Maybe if you were a little smarter in your actions…”

“Then I guess I’m just not smart! Are you happy now? I’m just not!” Roman brought his fists down hard onto his thighs.

He finally turned to face him, finally completely losing his cool. “Well I’m just sorry that Mom and Dad apparently ran out of brain cells by the time they got to you!” 

Roman’s face went cold, staring back at him, cold fury burning in his eyes. It was the first time Logan had even taken the time to look at him since he arrived in the office, finally noticing a sizable bruise forming on his younger brother’s cheek. But he had no time to react to it. Roman simply unbuckled his seat belt, then opened his door. His voice was quiet, but obviously laced with venom. “…I might not be smart like you, Logan. But at least I know how to give a shit about someone other than myself.” And with that, he slid from the car, shut the door behind him, and stormed off to the house. 

Logan slammed his hands down on the edges of his steering wheel, taking a moment before also getting out of his car, locking it, and heading inside. Just as he made it in, he heard the unmistakable sound of Roman’s door slamming shut upstairs, causing Logan to let out a frustrated sigh as he made his way to the table. 

He simply settled in, pulling out what he had been working on in class and get back into it as though nothing had changed. A few hours slipped by, Logan only realizing when he heard the key in the lock of the front door, signaling his parents were home. He looked up, seeing them step in and walk toward him. 

“Oh, Logan.. I’m sorry, neither of us could leave work. What happened?” His mom was immediately up to him, concern on her face. 

Logan simply shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me anything. He’s being stubborn as always.” 

“Where is he?” His dad asked, eyes sweeping the room. 

“In his room. Has been since we arrived.” He replied simply, going back to his work. 

“…Oh, Lo..” His mom said softly, looking over him. 

His parents shared a bit of a look, silently conversing and obviously more than used to their boys’ opinions of each other. They didn’t have a chance to go check on their youngest, hearing another key in the lock of the front door.

The three of them turned to the door, watching as the only missing family member slipped inside. Virgil was buried in his hoodie, hood up and covering some of his face, arms wrapped protectively around himself. Their mom was quick to go to him.

“Virgil? Are you alright, sweetheart?” 

He peered out from under his hood, obviously a bit shaken up. “….Y-yeah. Uh.. Where’s Ro?” 

Logan raised an eyebrow, his voice somewhat bored. “He’s in his bedroom. He was sent home early for getting into a fight today.” 

Virgil brought in a shakey breath. “…I.. I know. Is he.. Okay?” 

“…Honey, what’s wrong?” Their mom softly took his hands into her’s, looking over him with worry. 

The middle son brought in another breath, taking a moment to respond. “…..I.. I got shoved against my locker today. They.. They were going to.. Do more but.. Roman stopped them. He.. He got them all off me and… Kept them off.” 

Both his older brother and their parents were shocked, having had no idea what had happened. 

“Virge?” Came a voice from behind them. All of them whipped around, looking over to see Roman. 

“Ro!” Virgil quickly pulled away from their mother, rushing over to his younger brother and throwing his arms around him. 

“…I’m okay, Virge. It’s alright.” He said softly, hugging him back as Virgil broke down against him. 

Logan and their parents looked on, Roman eventually looking over his brother’s shoulder to see them watching. He still held him, just letting Virgil get it out. Logan opened his mouth to say something, but his jaw snapped shut at the glare that Roman immediately shot him. 

The youngest just spoke softly to his crying brother, ignoring the other’s in the room. “Come on, V. Let’s get you up into your room, okay?” Virgil just nodded, leaning on his younger brother and letting him lead him upstairs. 

Logan watched as Roman took Virgil away, turning to their parents with a bit of a judging look. He at least waited until they heard the middle child’s door close before he spoke up. “…Why did you just let him go?” 

His mother looked over him a moment, a slightly tired smile crossing her lips as she turned to look at her husband. His dad just gave her a little nod, then turned to head to the kitchen. “…I’m going to get Ro some ice, that bruise looks like it’ll be pretty nasty.” 

“Thank you, dear. …Logan, let’s sit down, alright?” She turned back to her eldest son, nodding back to the table where he’d been sitting. 

He raised an eyebrow but did as she suggested, returning to his seat and watching as she sat next to him. 

“Alright, what is it?” Logan asked, looking over his mother. 

She just sighed, looking back at him as she chose her words. “…Lo, you saw how Virgil was doing when he got home. And we all just found out why Roman did what he did… We’ll talk to him, but.. He’s not going to be punished, Logan.” 

Logan couldn’t hold in a scoff and an eye roll. 

“Logan..” 

“You always let him get away with things like this.” He said, looking back at her. 

“Logan, that isn’t true. Roman has gotten into far more trouble than you or Virgil have over the years.” 

“Well, obviously. The two of us behave.” Logan retorted. 

She just sighed. “…You two have never been on the same wavelength. As much as we’ve tried to find common ground with you two..” 

“It isn’t my fault that he’s disruptive and rowdy.” He crossed his arms over his chest. 

“…Honey, he’s just younger than you. We’ve been telling you this your whole life. Ever since he was old enough to understand having brothers he just wanted to spend time with you and be around you. He’s always wanted you to like him.” His mother tried, obviously having said these words countless times.

“It certainly doesn’t seem that way to me.” Logan huffed, starting to pack his school work back into his bag.

“…Because he stopped trying, Lo. Years ago.” She sighed once again, simply standing from the table. “Go put your schoolwork away, dinner will be fairly soon.” 

He looked up from his bag, but his mother had already disappeared into the kitchen. So instead he just stood and went upstairs. He had to walk by Roman’s mostly closed door on the way, able to hear their father inside talking to him. Something about being more careful, but definitely not any kind of reprimanding. Typical. 

Once he’d put his bag down, he sat on the edge of his bed, annoyed. He thought for a few moments before standing once more, slipping from his room and into the hallway. Finding himself in front of Virgil’s door, he knocked to announce himself. There was a soft “Come in.” From inside the room, and he made his way in, closing the door once more behind him. 

Virgil seemed surprised to see Logan there, looking up at him from where he was sitting in his bed, holding a cup of water and comfortingly wrapped in a blanket. 

“Hey Lo, what’s up?” He asked, still confused. 

“…I came to see how you were doing.” Logan answered, moving to sit on the edge of Virgil’s bed instead. 

A smirk flashed across Virgil’s features, looking at his older brother. “…No you didn’t.” 

Logan gave him a bit of a look. “…Fine. I’m frustrated.” 

Virgil just let out a little laugh, getting a sip of his water and putting it down on his nightstand. “What did Roman do now?” 

He looked at his brother for a long moment before sighing. “He got into an actual physical fight today. And no one seems to understand the gravity of that.”

The younger raised an eyebrow. “…He didn’t have much of a choice, Lo. If he didn’t act as quickly as he did then I.. uh..”

“I understand that the intentions were admirable. But he shouldn’t need to escalate things just to accomplish them, physical altercations are just… _Barbaric_.” Logan somewhat spat out the last word, not looking to see Virgil’s reaction. 

“Logan, I can tell you.. There was literally no chance of him talking his way through it. They’d already made it physical and I was lucky he was nearby.” Virgil tried, keeping his voice even… Not trying to relive the ordeal yet again. 

“…Still. He’s so… Irritating.” Logan groaned, letting himself fall back onto his brother’s bed. 

“You two got into it, didn’t you? What did you both say? Something heated you, hopefully, didn’t mean, I assume?” Virgil leaned back against his headboard, watching. 

“Of course I didn’t mean it, what I said was illogical. It’s not how biology works.” Logan said plainly.

“Dear god, Lo. What was it?” 

“…that mom and dad ran out of brain cells by the time they got to him.. But then he said that he is at least capable of caring about someone other than himself, implying that I am not, which was also hyperbolic.” 

Virgil held in the groan - and sigh - of the century, distantly proud of his mental filter’s ability to hold in his immediate urge to remind Logan that he thought it was at all appropriate to barge into his room, to interrupt him as he tried to recover from one hell of an ordeal, just to _vent_. About his savior, no less. However, that same mental filter was not able to hold back, “Dude, what the fuck? You seriously said that to him?” 

“I was annoyed! And it wasn’t like he was making it any easier!” Logan turned to look at him, still laying back on the bed.

“Yeah, well he was probably pretty shaken up. Shit, Lo. He had just gotten out of a scrape with multiple dudes, way bigger than him, and he was being sent home for defending me. Fucking hell.” Virgil was clearly getting a bit heated as well, but his anger was much more understated than that of either of his brothers.

Logan looked over him for a few moments, considering his words. “…He was still being irritating.” 

Virgil sighed. “…Why can’t you just figure this out? Out of all the things you manage to process, why is Roman the one thing that you can’t handle?” 

“I wouldn’t say I can’t handle him, he simply chooses to be inconsiderate.” Logan retorted.

He shot his brother an annoyed look, raising an eyebrow. “Alright, let’s try this another way. How was he being inconsiderate?” 

“He was… He wouldn’t answer my questions.” 

“Were you actually asking him questions? Or were you being aggressive and judgmental and just framing it as questions?” Virgil crossed his arms, watching Logan play back the scenario in his head. 

“…Okay, well he’s always inconsiderate. Even when we’re just at home.” He tried, moving to sit back up on the edge of the bed. 

“How?” 

“He’s always being so loud, playing his music at all hours and he’s constantly talking on the phone or something in his room. I can never concentrate in my room because of it.” He huffed a bit, but Virgil still just looked bored by his explanation. 

“Have you ever once just listened to what it was he’s saying? Or the music he’s playing? Do you pay any attention to what his interests are at all? And it isn’t ‘at all hours,’ Lo. He’s always quiet by like, 9 at the latest.” 

“How do you know?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Because I’ve talked to him about it, I actually make an effort to know both of my siblings.” 

“…Well I’m not interested in his interests. And it’s not as though he’s interested in mine. Besides, he doesn’t participate in anything worthwhile anyway.” 

“…Do you hear yourself when you talk? At all? He used to make an effort, Lo. You don’t want him around your interests, you made that pretty clear. And he does plenty of things, you just never actually pay attention. Or even show up.” Virgil sighed, looking back at him.

“He would come into my space and break my things, it isn’t my fault he couldn’t be trusted to keep his hands to himself. And what, are you referring to his gallivanting about in his theater class? It’s not as though he’d be participating in anything stimulating, they probably wouldn’t even trust him to.” Logan replied flippantly. 

Virgil was somewhat taken aback. He knew Logan had longstanding issues with Roman… But he hadn’t realized they were this deeply rooted. “…Logan, that was.. He was, what? Six at the time? Of course he broke things, he couldn’t help it. Please tell me you aren’t basing everything you think of him, and the way you treat him, on that.” 

Logan paused, thinking. When was the last time that Roman had been anywhere near his room? …It couldn’t have been that long ago. 

Virgil continued. “…Lo, I don’t know what to tell you. But if you’re holding onto all this animosity because of some kid’s science kit you got for Christmas like ten years ago, maybe you need to consider what that says about you. For your own sake.” 

They sat quietly for a few long moments, staring back at one another until Logan stood and brushed his hands down his pant legs. “…Very well.” He said simply, then took his leave from the room. 

Logan didn’t get much of a chance to spend time alone in his room before they were all called down for dinner, him making his way to the table and sitting in his usual seat as always. The only difference was that he decided to remain quiet. He simply ate his food and allowed the rest of his family to speak, listening as they did so. He generally took this time to explain different things he’d learned or experienced that day, so his family was a bit surprised when he seemed to have nothing to say. 

Virgil and Roman ended up talking, trying to skip over the event at school that day. It didn’t work, their parents wanting details… The story ending in Virgil asking why Roman didn’t tell anyone why he’d done what he’d done. He simply insisted that it wasn’t his story to tell, it was Virgil’s. He wasn’t going to say anything unless Virgil wanted to. That earned a bit of an astounded silence, their mother eventually breaking it by insisting they both take more ice back upstairs after dinner. Thankfully after that they were able to move on to talk about different things going on with them, and the meal continued.

After dinner, the three sons made their way up to their rooms, Logan having already settled on his bed with a book when he heard Roman begin speaking animatedly in his room. Instinctively he groaned, dragging a hand down his face as his loud younger brother would apparently not be letting him concentrate anytime soon. Seriously, who was he talking to so loudly? And it wasn’t as though he was allowing time for anyone else to get a word in edgewise either. If anything this just went to show that he was just as inconsiderate to people outside their family as he was to those within it. Honestly he should just… 

_Have you ever once just listened to what it was he’s saying?_

Virgil’s words popped into his mind, and even though he rolled his eyes somewhat, he placed his book down and focused on actually hearing what it was that his brother was going on about. 

_“-nd kill the envious moon,  
_ _Who is already sick and pale with grief,  
_ _That thou her maid art far more fair than she:  
_ _Be not her maid, since she is envious;  
_ _Her vestal livery is but sick and green  
_ _And none but fools do wear it; cast it off…” _

…Was that.. Was Roman was reciting Shakespeare? Romeo’s famous monologue, no less. Why was he.. 

Logan found himself on his feet, leaving his room and walking toward the stairs. As he went by Roman’s room, he couldn’t help but peek through the cracked door, seeing his younger brother with his back to him, looking out the window in his room as he continued to recite it. …He wasn’t reading it off, he was doing it from memory. He… 

Logan was then downstairs, seeing his parents sitting on the couch and watching television, them both turning to look at him as he appeared. 

“Hey Lo, did you need anything?” His mother asked, a bit surprised to see him there. 

“…Just decided to come get some water.” Logan responded, making his way into the kitchen to continue his ruse, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and getting a sip. Leaning back against the counter, he noticed a brightly colored bit of paper sitting on the counter top next to him. He picked it up and read it over as he stalled there. It was a flyer for the upcoming school play… Romeo and Juliet. Roman wasn’t just apparently memorizing Shakespeare… He must have been in the play. Had he actually gotten the lead in the play? How could he have.. 

Logan sighed deeply, unsure what to do. He was suddenly coming to the realization that he may have been wrong all this time. Virgil and his mother had made it clear… But now it was more than them just nearly always choosing the baby of the family over him in their squabbles. This was going to take a lot of thought, time… And just plain work to even begin to repair. For now… 

He grabbed a second water bottle from the fridge and made his way back upstairs. He took a deep breath before knocking on Roman’s slightly ajar door, causing Roman to spin around to face the doorway. It wasn’t lost on Logan that his younger brother had had a smile on his face, and that it quickly fled upon his recognition of who was standing in his doorway. 

“…What, Logan? Am I being too loud?” Roman asked, moving over to open the door the rest of the way. 

“…No, no. I..” Logan swallowed slightly. “…I wanted to apologize. For what I said in the car earlier. It was uncalled for.” 

Roman’s eyes widened, actually leaning back slightly in disbelief. “…You did?” 

The elder nodded. “Yes. I.. I was very rude, and it was nothing but unkind. And untrue.” 

“Oh, uh.. Yeah. Well, thanks. I appreciate it.” Roman responded, not sure what to make of this. 

“Of course. I.. I will leave you to your activity, but I brought you a water from downstairs. Incase you become parched from your… practicing.” Logan held the water bottle out and watched as Roman took it from his outstretched hand with exceptional confusion. 

He couldn’t help but glance down to verify it was still sealed and untampered with, but then he just looked back up to his older brother. “…Thank you.” 

Logan nodded again. “Of course. I’ll.. Yeah, like I said.” And with that, he turned and went back to his own room. 

Roman had absolutely no idea what to make of that interaction, plopping himself down on his bed and trying to justify what had just happened. After a moment he picked up his phone and sent a text to Virgil, despite him being two doors away. 

“_What did you do to L?_” 

Despite the rather strange conversation with Virgil that followed, it wasn’t clear to anyone, least of all Roman, whether or not Logan’s apparent moment of clarity was a fluke or not. Two weeks later, the school play was actually upon them, and Logan shocked his entire family by coming down stairs at the appropriate time, dressed to come along to the show.

Roman was already there preparing for the performance, so he wouldn’t find out his eldest brother had actually attended until the play concluded for the night. Logan was definitely slightly embarrassed, riding along in the car beside Virgil as they made their way to the school auditorium. He’d been reflecting for the last two weeks, realizing how in the wrong he had been for all these years. Logan knew he’d need to make it up to Roman… To prove to him that he truly didn’t want to be the way he had been. Of course, It wasn’t something that was going to magically resolve by simply attending a play… Especially as Roman had done so many by this point and Logan had never bothered to show up before. But he was going to put in the effort, his brother deserved that. 

Their family purchased their tickets and settled into their seats, Logan very quietly asking Virgil if there was any kind of play etiquette he needed to be aware of. Virgil gave his older brother a soft pat on the arm, laughing quietly and assuring him that he didn’t need to worry. With a nod, they sat until the lights went down and the play began, their brother quickly making his presence known as the lead of the show. 

Logan was quite thrown off, he’d had no idea how talented Roman was. He had such a flare and a talent for acting, obviously only enhanced by the effort that he put into his craft. Logan found himself immersed in the show, somewhat surprised when it broke for intermission. Virgil and their parents couldn’t help but smile as he spent the break talking to them about all the details and nuances he appreciated about the production, definitely sprinkled with more kind words about Roman than he’d probably ever uttered before. 

The second half of the show was just as amazing as the first, Logan actually feeling a jolt of emotion at the big finale despite knowing the tale so well. He didn’t plan to mention it to his family… But it was quite possible he’d see the show at least once more before it wrapped fully. 

Nervousness flooded his body when he found himself standing amongst his family in the foyer, waiting for Roman to join them so they could head out to dinner. It was their mother who spotted him first, rushing over to give her baby a hug, of course praising his talent. Virgil and their father also gave him their praises before Logan and Roman found themselves looking at one another, Logan internally cursing the completely understandable surprise on Roman’s face that was only another reminder of how wrong he’d been all this time. 

“…That was an excellent performance, Roman. I thoroughly enjoyed the show.” Logan managed, finally feeling some relief as his brother’s expression broke into a smile. 

“Thanks, L. That means a lot.” He responded, looking back at him. 

They didn’t hug, or even touch, and fences weren’t magically mended… But as the family left the school to head off to dinner to celebrate the youngest amongst them, there was a feeling that permeated the group.. The feeling that things were finally on the road to turning out how they always should have been.


End file.
